Fort Wayne – Cody Ankrum, 37, of Portland, Indiana was sentenced by Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Ankrom was sentenced to 180 months in prison to be followed by 90 months of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
According to documents in the case, in August 2024, Ankrom persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct or for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct.
“Cody Ankrom will spend the next fifteen years in prison for his actions. These offenses have life-altering, lasting impacts on victims and their families and require severe punishment to deter others from engaging in this heinous behavior. The United States Attorney’s Office will use whatever resources at our disposal to aggressively prosecute these offenders and seek justice for their victims. Thanks to the partnership of the Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the Jay County Prosecutor’s Office led by Wesley A. Schemenaur, and Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery, the children of the Northern District of Indiana are safer,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred.
“Those who exploit children inflict lasting harm and will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “This sentence demonstrates our shared resolve to protect children, support survivors and their families, and pursue justice alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the Jay County Prosecutor’s Office led be Wesley A. Schemenaur. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
The ICAC Task Force encourages Hoosiers to report online exploitation, solicitation, and enticement-type crimes against children to the National center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC website can be accessed through the ICAC Task Force website: https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Indiana — U.S. Department of Justice press release.